A brown kikuyu lawn in winter is normal: kikuyu goes dormant after frost and greens up again in spring. Brown patches in the growing season, roughly October to April, mean something is wrong.
Work out the cause
| What you see | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Patches spreading fast in summer; grass blades chewed; birds pecking the lawn | Lawn caterpillars (army worm) | Check at dusk for small caterpillars, then treat with a lawn insecticide or ask a garden service |
| Dry, straw-coloured areas, often in full sun or near paving | Not enough water, or sprinklers not reaching | Check sprinkler coverage; water deeply rather than lightly every day |
| Round dead spots with a dark green ring | Dog urine | Water the spot heavily after the dog goes; reseed or plug bare spots |
| Thin, weak grass where people walk or cars park | Compacted soil | Aerate (spike) the lawn and top-dress in spring |
| Thin, yellowish grass under trees | Too much shade | Prune trees to let in light, or replace the lawn with shade-tolerant groundcover |
| Yellow lawn overall, weak growth | Hungry lawn | Fertilise in spring and mid-summer |
Lawn caterpillars: act quickly
In Highveld summers, lawn caterpillars can destroy large areas of lawn in days, especially after rain. If you see flocks of birds, especially hadedas, working the lawn and patches spreading, check straight away. Push the grass apart at the edge of a brown patch and look for small grey-green caterpillars.
Prevention
- Mow regularly, but not too short.
- Water deeply once or twice a week rather than lightly every day.
- Scarify and top-dress in early spring. See the lawn care calendar.
A regular garden service should spot these early. See what a garden service includes and garden service prices in Benoni.